Heat Wave
by silvi-hc
Summary: A heat wave has struck California and Cordelia gets worried on how it affects her favourite vampire. CROSSOVER with Btvs. (AngelSpike)
1. part 1

**Title:_ Heat Wave  
_****Fandom:** Ats/Btvs  
**Genre:** Drama, General, angst perhaps?  
**Rating:** FRC (G)  
**Spoilers:** "To Shanshu in L.A"  
**Pairing:** Angel/Spike  
**Warning:** Some words, slashy implications.

**AN:** Angel is Spike's Sire. Also I'm making him (Spike) talk real Cockney - that said I have to point out that I don't know a thing about that, but I did find a neat site where you can have regular sentences translated into Cockney rhyming slang (if you want just let me know and I'll mail you the address)– I find it hilarious and I just wanted to see how I could blend it into a story.

Also I am very aware of the fact that this situation, considering in which point in Canon this takes place, is most unlikely or impossible but that's what's great with Fiction – you can actually give a toss about them. g

Another **Also** – This is the summer after the whole never-ending-vision which means that Angel still lives with Cordy, so no Hyperion here. Aaaand I'm mucking around with the timeline – you'll see.

THANKS Pat for betaing I really liked it...

**Summary:** A heat wave has struck California and Cordelia gets worried on how it affects her favourite vampire.

* * *

Chapter 1.

"Do you think it'll work if I say: 'Angel, from now on I empower you to invite anyone you want.'"

"Don't know. Let's find out. Spike, I invite you in."

Puzzled Cordelia looked at Angel but as she saw him looking over her shoulder she stiffened right before she heard the rough voice behind her. Swirling around she yelped as she saw the bleach menace that had been leaning on the doorframe. With a mocking salute Spike walked in nodding at his sire, "vanks Peaches." (Thanks Peaches.)

"Angel!" Cordelia screeched, making both Angel and Spike wince at the shrill tone, "You, you…"

"Don't need to yell Cordy I can hear you just fine."

She pointed an accusatory finger at Spike, who was gingerly sitting down on the couch under the nervous gaze of the Watcher standing not to far away. Before she could say anything a knock on the open door made her turn around to see a sheepish Xander standing there before he got pushed from behind and a young girl slipped by him to join Spike on the couch, waving at Cordelia in greeting, "Hi Cordy, you don't mind us here right?"

"D-Dawn." She stuttered before her jaw dropped further as she saw the rest of the Scooby walk in.

Looking up as she felt a gentle finger close her mouth she gazed into Angel's amused eyes. "You knew." she whispered not knowing what to make out of all this. Whether to be angry at the intrusion or just…wearily she shook her head and sighed, it was too hot to work up a temper but her eyes promised that later – _oh yeah, later, watch out manpire._

She could see Angel's shoulder drop as he received the message but he said anyway, "I could smell them." Never mind that he and Wesley had known about it before hand - but oops it slipped their mind. His eyes caught the blue ones of the sheepish ex-watcher.

"Angel, last time you saw Spike he…" before she could say anything Spike interrupted her.

"Oi, I'm not gonna do anythin' ter Peaches 'ere. It's ter damn Alan Knott fer that, innit." (Oi, I'm not gonna do anything to Peaches here. It's to damn hot for that.)

_Huh, what did he…? _

"Huh? Whatever. What about me? We are hardly safe now are we?"

"Um, Cordelia, " Buffy's voice piped up from the chair she was currently sprawling in, "do you really think I would be in the same room with him and not deal with him if he actually was a threat?"

"What Buffy means, " Xander explained, " is that Deadboy Jr here is defanged."

Turning around slowly Angel looked at Xander arcing an eyebrow, seeing from the corner of his eyes Spike vehemently denying the statement.

"What do you mean defanged?" Only Cordy and Wesley heard the dangerous tone lying underneath and they stiffened.

It was Willow, sitting beside a blond girl who Angel couldn't remember if she'd been introduced or not, that explained about the Initiative and what they had done.

"Oh."

"OH! Is what all yew 'ave ter say?" (Oh! Is that all you have to say?)Spike asked incredulously. Angel just gave him a cool look and slowly lifted an eyebrow. Spike almost visibly deflated and grumbling under his breath settled deeper into the cushions.

As everyone settled down on every available surface, it was Wesley that asked, "So, what brings you people here? And who may I ask is," nodding towards the blond woman, "this young lady?"

"Oh, oh I thought I'd already introduced everyone." Willow stammered ignoring Spike's snort. "This is my- I mean Tara, Tara this is Cordelia- "

"Whose apartment you've all invaded." Interrupted Cordelia.

"Wesley, former Watcher and that's Angel." She ended up pointing at Angel, who had seated himself on the couch beside Spike. Dawn was curled up on the other side of the slim blond vampire. Tara shyly waved to them all in greetings.

Angel tuned them out as Giles stuttering explained that they had thought to visit as the activities on the Hell-mouth seemed to have stopped altogether due to the current heat wave. He could hear Spike mutter sarcastically about it being too hot to do anything evil – even evil had its limits to what they can take. He smirked as Dawn pinched him on the side, having heard him.

Looking closely Angel could see the evidence that the heat was affecting even Spike by the almost imperceptible tired lines around the eyes and the fact that he seemed kinda flushed. He guessed that he looked about the same. It's true though – about it being unusually quiet on the demon front. In retrospect, Cordelia hadn't had a vision for quite some time since this final heat wave hit L.A. Angel was extremely grateful for the lack of visions, since he really didn't think he was up to doing anything close to throwing a punch.

No, nothing more than sitting in the apartment drinking ice water, which Wesley kindly enough had been providing him with; or eating ice-cream which seemed to be the humans way of coping with the heat as he had witnessed since this whole thing began and doing it right now apparently.

Seeing the others had lapsed into a comfortable – yeah right! – silence, Angel sunk further down on the couch. Accidentally brushing against Spike, Angel noticed for the first time that he wasn't wearing his coat; in fact it was nowhere to be seen. Instead he was dressed in his usual clothing with the exception that he was striped down to his t-shirt. Angel himself was dressed in a wife beater and if it hadn't been for the Scoobies he would have stripped down to his boxers the way he'd done every other day.

Feeling someone watching him Angel looked up and met the worried gaze of his seer. Mutely, he shook his head meaning he didn't want her to say anything and for the first time she actually kept her mouth shut. Instead she stood up and walked to the kitchen where Dennis was already waiting with a bag of ice. Holding up two fingers she indicated that she wanted two.

Heading back she silently handed Angel the bags and sat down. Angel could feel the annoyance from his childe sitting beside him and he knew that pride would not let Spike beg for the same relief. Without a word Angel threw one of the bags to a surprised Spike who grabbed it, and jerked a quick nod.

With a quiet sigh they both dragged it over their faces.

As the heat increased it got harder and harder to remain in human guise. In fact a few days ago he lost control of it and his… – amazingly his friends had been exceptionally cool about it – alright at first they had gotten scared, though Wesley assured it was more that they were startled, that's all. But after they had talked and Angel sorta explained the reason for it all. They assured him that they had no problem with it and sure enough by the end of the day Angel could no longer smell the wariness on them. Cordy even joked about the face, saying it was even cute after a while, in a kittenish way.

Angel would never be able to say how much it all meant to him – but now with the Scoobies there, especially Buffy, the idea of losing control was not something he wanted to do. Though he could feel the strain of it already slipping.

Shaking his head he turned his attention back to the renewed conversation.

"See I don't get that, why the heck do you need ice? I mean you're vampires, your cool enough as it is." He heard Xander say. He indicated Spike, who gave him a golden glare under the bag he was holding to his forehead. Xander only smirked back.

Feeling a nudge to his ribs Angel looked at Spike but instead of looking back at him Spike nudged him again with his elbow and finally Angel got that Spike wanted him to answer._ Damn this heat is really making me slow. All right._

"Xander, we are vampires, "he said drawing attention of everyone. Inwardly he cringed, he really didn't like to be the centre of attention, sure as soulless, no prob, but with it _huh huuh._

"Yeah? What of it? I know you're vampires, hello with the whole no heart-beat and evil bloodsuckers-of-the-night thingy."

Ignoring the last part of the sentence Angel carried on – he was getting really good at it, ignoring things that is.

"So we don't have our own cooling system. We don't generate heat, true, but we don't generate anything else either. We adapt to the environment, to the room temperature and if it's cold, we're cold and if it's hot we're…" he trailed off letting them fill in the blank which – _bless you_ – Cordy did.

"Hot."

"There are limits to what even we can handle. If it gets too extreme our body begins to shut down." He could feel the intense gaze of Buffy but he refused to look at her, they both lived their separate lives now and to go back on the same road was really not an option anymore, and frankly he wasn't even sure if it had been, he would do it.

"So what does that mean, "Dawn asked curiously looking at Spike, who seemed to be turning a faint shade of pink, if one looked closely. "you swell up and begin to rot?" That earned a derisive snort from Spike who had his eyes closed and his head leaning against the back of the couch.

"Not a bleedin´ Zombie, niblet." (Not a bloody Zombie, Niblet.)

As the others pitched in with their opinion Angel gave a huge sigh that stopped most of them to look at him curiously.

"It's amazing you can do that considering you don't breathe." Giles said.

Ignoring him Angel said, "Contrary to popular belief we're not corpses, we do not rot, if we were we would be zombies. Our flesh is not human, if this was a simple human body we wouldn't be as strong as we are, we wouldn't be able to drink blood considering the human body is not equipped to deal with the consumption of that substance nor would we burst into _fecken´ flames in tha sun!_" Angel finished in his version of a roar, the hint of Irish brogue coming through in the last few words.

Spike stiffened beside him – knowing that for Angel to slip if only almost imperceptibly into his old brogue…well, shudders to think. The roar, which wasn't really all that much yelling, stunned everyone. The way that most people in the room reacted it could have been that, or they simply weren't used to him speaking in any other tone then the sad quiet voice he usually used. At least back then.

"You say it!" Spike muttered almost too silent for Dawn to hear.

"As I said," Angel continued in the stunned silence that followed and ignoring Spike's input, "we adapt to the environment, and this heat is nearing even our limits."

"You seem to cope better then Spike does, he's practically knocked out." Buffy said.

"Actually he's not. But I have a higher tolerance then he does. After all I've been to hell," he once again ignored the flinch Buffy made at the reminder and the glare Giles gave him, " and even then they were 'considerate' enough to adapt it so that I could, well not pass out." He gave a bitter laugh that sent cold shivers through every one present.

Shaking his head to shake away the memories he felt a soft invisible - caress – and smiled hollowly at the air knowing it was Dennis. Seeing the sad eyes of his seer he shook his head again and smiled reassuringly at her – he knew that she mourned for him but really it was all in the past (?).

Breaking the now tense silence in the room, Angel asked something that had been bugging him and he knew that the same thing was on Wesley's mind judging the looks he kept throwing at Spike.

"How come you brought Spike with you?"

" Hey, one might talk ter da shrink yew don't wan' me 'ere?" (Hey, one might think you don't want me here?) Spike said from his position on the sofa, Angel absently noted that if he sunk any lower he would end up on the floor.

"One might not be wrong." Cordelia answered him after a pause to figure out what in the hell he was saying and glared at him – she had definitely not forgotten what he had done to Angel with the ring thingy, nor forgiven – no one hurts her friend. Though the glare was muted, as Spike didn't bother to open his eyes to see it.

Buffy snickered as she remembered how Spike had been before they got on the road. And she retold everything with helpful inputs from Xander. He had been so pathetic that even they had begun to feel sorry for the neutered vamp, him whining when he thought they couldn't hear about how he wanted his sire. Spike very deliberately ignored them.

It was Dawn that had 'forced' them to take him with them when they left for L.A. But then again she was the only one to have seen him one day actually crying in his sleep as it was really beginning to become too much for him.

Angel looked under heavy lids at Spike and said for vampire ears only, "Miss me did ye, boy?"

"Shuddup."

Glancing at Buffy and seeing her arced brow and the slight amused smile he remembered, _slayer hearing._ Shrugging he returned to leaning his head back on the couch and watching the familiar ceiling.

Suddenly Willow piped up, "How about we go to the beach?" It was beginning to become afternoon and the sun still shown mercilessly down on the dried land. After much discussion, which normally have been a debate but everyone was too hot and tired, the whole group opted to go except the vampires, since hello – flammable – and Cordelia, who gave some excuse or another which Angel didn't bother to hear.

Soon enough the apartment was empty except for two vampires, one human and one ghost.

Cordelia stood a moment silently watching the vampires as they sprawled on the sofa before murmuring something and left the apartment. It wasn't long before she was back and she saw that they hadn't moved a muscle. Plugging the fan she had just fetched from a friendly neighbour into the nearest outlet directed it towards them. Taking a towel that was on the table she dried her face as best as she could before she got a spray bottle and filled it with cold water.

Walking back to the sprawled figures on her sofa she saw Angel peek at her. She only smiled at him, as really she preferred to save her energy. Putting the fan on she sprayed them with the water eliciting a startled yelp from Spike who looked shocked at her. Considering they don't sweat the only way to give anything closely resemblance of coolness with the fan was to add moisture to them. Snorting she shook her head – it was like watering a plant.

The first thing she was going to do when this heat wave was over was get central air-conditioning installed in the apartment courtesy of Angel.

Putting the canteen on the small table she began to gather up the glasses left by the others, Dennis helping her. She was briefly halted by Angel's voice, "Why didn't you go with them?"

"Didn't feel like it." They both knew that that wasn't it but it was the only thing she was going to say.

"Are you ok Angel?" she asked returning from the kitchen where she had deposited the glasses.

"I will be."

"If you don't mind I'll go to my room and lay down a bit."

He waved for her to go ahead. He knew that she had several fans in her room that would help to cool her down. Now the only thing to do was to wait for the nightfall and hope that this time the night would bring at least some kind of relief.

From time to time he could feel another mist of water and knew it was Dennis. He gave the ghost a vaguely grateful smile. Beside him Spike had fallen asleep and Angel took the opportunity to look him over. A worried crease graced his brow as he continued to watch him. The whole chip thing really needed to be taken care of, but he was damned if he knew how.

With a jerk the blond woke up and looked wildly around before he recognized where he was. With a deep sigh he relaxed again into the soft cushions. Angel could here Cordy´s regular breathing and he knew that she was sleeping, hopefully without heat induced nightmares.

"Blimey! Remind me again why we're in bleedin´California. Yeah?" Spike's voice captured his attention. He cringed at the rough Cockney accent that made it almost impossible to understand him if you weren't used to it and Angel let himself have a moment missing the old soft lilting voice that used to be his Will's voice.

"Err, right now I wouldn't be able to say quite frankly."

"Yeah? Well I bloody 'ate dis. Know what I mean?"

Choosing to stay silent Angel closed his eyes trying to think how much worse it could get in this weather. Briefly looking at Spike he saw him pass the now melted ice in the bag over his face, a faraway look in his eyes and Angel wondered what he was thinking.

Casting a coverted glace at his sire Spike murmured something almost to quiet for even Angel to catch it.

"Come again?"

"Do yew remember what _Bird Lime_ in Siberia an' we got _nicked_ in what blizzard?" (Do you remember that time in Siberia and we got caught in that blizzard?)

"Do I remember? I still get nightmares from it." Shuddering Angel pushed the memories of that time further back in his head. "What ever made you think of that?"

"Nightmares do ye? An' I dunno. I remember I was convinced what I was curren' bun for. Still don't get 'ow we managed ter survive it. Sorted mate." (Nightmare do you? And I don't know. I remember I was convinced that I was done fore. Still don't get how we managed to survive it.)

"Share luck."

"If yew say so." (If you say so.)If the big poofter wasn't going to give himself the credit he's due than by all means neither was he.

They settled into silence and Angel mused that this was sure not how he had envisioned their next encounter. He distinctly remembered imagining more violence. Not this passive sitting.

Things hadn't changed much when the others returned from the beach after nightfall and Cordy was up again. Angel was glad in a way that they weren't going to stay here more then a couple of days as really the apartment was more then crowded with just him and Cordy living there. Which reminded him - he had to resume hunting for a living space…_later after the weather was done fucking around._

He loved Cordy dearly – she was as close to a sister he could get in this lifetime - but really she could be a bit much even for his jaded persona.

With night, the temperature only dropped a few notches and strangely the others, after having found a motel not far off decided to head out. At least the clubs must have some air-conditioning. He heard Wesley mentioning a quiet place with good air though it would be rather a surprise for them - no need to worry, as it was protected with an anti-violence spell.

Figuring out what club he was talking about Angel internally smirked. Now that would be a sight to see, the reaction on their faces once they stepped foot into Caritas. Too bad he was too tired. Seeing the corner of his mouth twitch Spike looked curiously at him and Angel mouthed later as he knew that Spike wasn't going anywhere.

This time Cordelia was going with them and after Angel managed to convince her that - _no he wasn't going no matter what_ - she followed the others and Angel could hear them making plans for later tonight and tomorrow and Angel couldn't help but groan and wondered from where the hell they got the energy.

Following orders from Cordelia Dennis turned the TV on and put some bottles of ice water on the table before them before retreating to wherever he went when he was not there. The only sound in the apartment was that of the TV until Spike couldn't hold out anymore and asked.

"What's so bleedin' special ter dis Caritas?" (What so bloody special to this Caritas?)

Chuckling Angel slowly shook his head and said, "It's a friendly demon bar. All kinds permitted, no violence allowed. And no it's not like Willie's. Think more of a karaoke bar"

"Oh, OH an' you're le'in' da Slayer go?" (Oh, OH and you're letting the slayer go?)

"No violence, remember? Beside all kinds are welcome, the Host is rather an umm, colourful persona I guess one could say.

"What kind ov a pussy assed demon _Ringo Starr_ is dis what don't allow violence?" (What kind of a pussy assed demon bar is this that don't allow violence?)

"A friendly one." was Angel's dry response.

"Heh, now that's a place I 'ave ter see if only ter see what i' actually exist." (Heh, now that's a place I have to see to know that it actually exist.)

"Are you doubting me?"

Shaking Spike stood and turned to him, "Yeah, what ov it?" (Yeah, what of it?)

Following suite Angel took a fighting stand as well but before anything could have started they both looked into each other's eye and simultaneously they feebly threw a punch that didn't even connect before they deflated and fell back onto the couch.

"You know we're lucky we won't actually fight or Cordy would have our hide for wrecking her apartment." Angel murmured.

"Hmm."

Turning their attention to the TV they watched listlessly and as time passed Angel almost fell asleep. Seeing the time Angel thought it was enough sitting ass down on the couch and shakily standing up managed with one foot to unplug the fan. Taking it he began walking before he stopped and turned around to watch Spike. He tilted his head to the side and watched the other figure, then bent down and roughly shook him awake.

"Wha- wha." Blearily looking up Spike shook his head.

"Common."

"Awright geeezzaa! What ever for?"

"I don't know about you but I intend to get more comfortable." and with that Angel turned around and walked away taking the fan with him.

The fact that Spike followed with a minimum of complaints proved to Angel how down he actually was. Also it could be the fact that if Spike stayed in the living room he would be without the fan, although it really didn't provided enough cool air to actually matter.

As Spike reached the guestroom that had been turned into Angel's bedroom he stopped at the doorway and looked wearily on as Angel stripped to his boxers, plugged in and turned on the fan, and laid down on the bed.

Murmuring into the pillow Angel said, "Stop fucking around and just lay down." Well, Spike thought, _it's not like he can do anything at the moment._ Calling himself a thousand kinds of fool, Spike gingery stepped further into the room and removed his t-shirt and jeans. Without turning around he managed to catch the boxers Angel threw at him with his head still buried against the pillow. _So he still remembers that I don't wear any._

Tentively he crawled into bed and stiffly laid beside the bigger male. As minutes passed and Angel didn't move Spike lifted his head and peered at him. Incredulously he saw that Angel had fallen asleep and he felt sheepish for ever thinking- no. Shaking himself out of the almost-thoughts running through his brain, he laid his head down again. Closing his eyes, he finally relaxed completely and fell asleep.

When Cordelia returned later that night alone, as the others had retreated to their motel and Wesley had gone back to his apartment, the decision of letting Spike stay with Angel and Cordy unsaid, she found the living room empty with the TV on and the sound turned off. Laying her purse down and toeing off her shoes she walked up to Angel's room and peered inside.

Reassured that Angel was there she relaxed and she couldn't help but smile a little at the tableau the two made. Beside Angel Spike looked almost ridiculously small, half curled on the left side of the bed. She was a little disturbed at how thin Spike was but if it was true that he was not able to feed than it wasn't strange. Luckily she had remembered to remind Wesley to bring more blood to the apartment when he came by tomorrow.

Letting the door stay open to let the small amount of air left in the apartment circulate she retreated to her room and not long after she fell asleep. Angel in his room let himself finally fully relax as he felt the last occupant of the apartment fall asleep. Before sleep finally claimed him he heard a soft muttered "Poofter." Knowing that evidently he hadn't fooled Spike at all.

_End of Chappy 1._


	2. part 2

**Title: ****_Heat Wave 2?  
_Athour: **Silvi  
**Fandom: **Ats/Btvs  
**Rating:** FRC (G)  
**Pairing:** Angel/Spike

**Summery:** Next morning comes with some concerns. **

* * *

**

Chapter 2.

The next morning Cordelia woke up feeling like she was being cooked in an oven. Blearily, she looked around and saw nothing amiss. The chill bottle Dennis handed over to her was almost like liquefied heaven. Muttering, she crawled out of bed her head feeling too small for her brain.

This must be the worst summer she has ever lived through. If she didn't know better she would have said that she must have gotten into a Hell dimension when she didn't notice. Although, the one time she voiced that thought to Wesley she made sure that Angel was nowhere within listening range – counting on his enhanced hearing.

Her underwear was sticking to her skin and she could feel some droplets of sweat already on their way down the back of her neck. Gulping down the cool water she stumbled to the bathroom for once not thinking that she was in effect only wearing her panties and bra. Usually she slept with something more but she actually wanted to survive this fucking weather.

Blessedly the shower was already turned on when she finally managed to get there. Not bothering to take off anything, and with the bottle still clutched in her hand, she climbed in and lent her forehead against the tiles. She just knew that if she had a vision right about now she would drop dead.

She slowly came back to herself, feeling a little better. Eventually she managed to both relinquish her hold on the bottle – letting Dennis take it to the kitchen – and undress herself. She quickly soaped her body; it was really a moot point to shower considering the minute she stepped out she would begin to sweat again. Something she had been under the disillusion she couldn't ever do.

Turning off the water she stepped out and swiftly if not thoroughly towelled herself dry, throwing her wet underwear into the dirty laundry.

Wrapping the big towel around herself she left the room knowing that Dennis would deal with the breakfast part of the morning. She made a mental note to thank him as she looked at the clock and noted that Wesley was due to arrive in ten minutes. Thankfully the Scoobies would be otherwise occupied today, since she didn't have any idea how to deal with them. Today was already shaping up to be the worst day of all of the heat wave.

Hearing Dennis setting the radio on low she heard the sad news that someone had died of heat exposure and she briefly wondered how Gunn was managing. Stepping into her bedroom she dressed as fast as she could manage with heat exhaustion already taking its toll on her. Stepping out of her apartment was out of the question as at least it was marginally cooler in here then out there.

Peeking out the window she was almost blinded by the brightness but as her eyes adjusted she could practically see the air vibrate. The green had already bled out from the surrounding vegetation and the grass was nothing more then brown patches. For the first time in her life she really hated the yellow ball in the sky.

Turning her back at the sad sight, she had gone into the living room just as a knock was heard at her front door. As the door opened it revealed Wesley, whom, with a slight nod at the air in deference to Dennis, walked in. There were big dark patches around his neck, front and under his elbows. As he turned around to close the door, she noticed a dark patch on his back too.

He looked absolutely drained, in a way worse then he did after the bomb blew up. Lifting his hand he showed her the bags he had brought with him and she tiredly waved him to the kitchen. As he walked into the slightly cooler tiled room, Dennis relieved him off one of the bags.

Wesley muttered his thanks as together they deposited the blood bags and more ice cream into the fridge. Grabbing a bottle of water he walked back to the living room and sat beside Cordelia on the couch, watching her as she fanned herself with a magazine, dark circles under her eyes.

"You know, I can't for the life of me remember why I ever left England."

"Well I'm about to wish we lived in damn Antarctica. This is killing me."

Dennis tried to do his best for them as they lapsed into silence and stared blindly ahead. He wasn't bothered by the heat considering he couldn't feel it but he nevertheless didn't like what it was doing to his friends.

Silently leaving them to themselves he drifted down the hall and pushed Angel's door further apart, peering into the dark room at the two figures sprawled on the bed. They were unnaturally still.

As the door creaked a little he saw Angel twitch and slowly lifted his head. The vampire cracked a bleary eye and looked around. Seeing no one, he croaked, "Dennis?" As two soft knocks were heard he sighed and let his head fall back. Turning his head to the side Angel watched his child beside him, sleeping with his mouth open. For a moment amusement filled him at the sight before he noticed something.

Rolling to the side until he fell with a thump to the floor he rose to his knees, peering over the bed. Lifting a hand he pocked Spike's side. Several thing registrated in him, one; the heat was worse, two; Spike wasn't moving. Feeling the cool caress of the ghost he momentarily leaned his forehead against the ghostly touch. He was feeling really bad, almost sick, his thought processes sluggish, _can't think…_

He could see the indentation in the bed where Dennis was doing the same to Spike but still, the blonde vampire never moved.

"What?" crocked Angel, painfully swallowing, trying to bring moisture to his dry throat. "What's going on?"

This was beginning to remind him eerily of another time – _Siberia _– Grabbing hold of Spike's elbow he shook him more forcibly, but still he didn't move. Putting his hand on the bed Angel managed to push himself to his feet with some invisible aid of a friendly ghost and walked around the bed before sinking to his knees again at Spike's side. Once again he tried to stir Spike up, the connection in his head refusing to… well, connect.

Grabbing a hold of Spike's elbow again he dragged him to the edge of the bed. Slapping his face didn't do anything either. Panic started to rise in him as the realization that this could be serious came to him. Crawling backwards he dragged Spike off the bed not worrying about the hard thump as his Childe's body hit the floor.

He managed to crawl partway to the door before letting him go. He managed to turn around and cling to the doorway, his strength leaving him in a frightingly rapid pace. He saw from the corner of his eyes how Dennis re-arranged Spike more comfortably.

As Cordelia heard a noise she slowly turned her head. At the sight of Angel crawling on his hands and knees, his eyes pleading at her, her own eyes widened comically. Elbowing Wesley she shot off the couch and was there by his side in an instance. Wesley's indignant yelp quieted down as he saw Angel. Hurrying after Cordy he soon was by his side and asked urgently, "What's wrong, Angel?"

"S-Spike won't wake up. Help me."

Angel sounded remarkably like he was drunk but they both knew that couldn't be the case. As she worked on getting Angel on his feet, Cordy tried to make him explain what was going on while Wesley went into the bedroom to check on Spike. Seeing him on the floor, he knelt beside him and put his hand on his forehead. His jaw dropped in shock as he felt the heat coming from the comatose vampire.

Turning around he saw Cordy had managed to have Angel leaning against the wall, though Dennis must've help him to remained standing.

Meeting Cordy´s worried eyes, as she stood with Angel´s head dropped against her shoulder he said, "He's very hot."

"Hot? What do you mean hot? Why won't he wake up? What do we do? Angel's about to collapse here Wes." She couldn't hide the fear in her voice. At a loss, Wesley shook his head.

Murmuring something Cordelia leaned closer to Angel and ask, " What, Angel? What did you say?"

"Cool, need to cool down." Angel said a bit louder, enough for the humans and ghost to hear him. No one moved a muscle for a moment until the door to the bathroom opened. Cordelia's worried eyes brightened and she said with a big smile. "The bathroom, Wesley. The bathroom."

"Cordy I doubt the bathroom would be any different then out here…"

Having caught what Cordy meant Angel nodded as eagerly as he could which wasn't much and tried to move back toward Spike, some instinct driving him to get help for his Childe first. Cordy snapped at Weslty, expasperated, "No you dumbass. We could give them a cold shower or a bath."

Wesley blushed; he felt rather bad for not making the connection earlier. Nodding he turned back to get Spike who still hadn't move from his position on the floor.

Feeling the cool pressens of Dennis under his arm Angel bit back a moan of relief. With the ghost's and Cordy's help he was gently lowered down on the floor, where he curled up partway, leaning his fore head against the tiles. Even the slightly less warm tiles gave a very small measure of relief to his warm body. Within minutes, he heard the others returning with Spike, and watched as they surprisingly laid him on the floor just as gently as they had him.

Dennis had already turned the faucet full on. It sounded thunderous to Angel ears as they waited it to fill up. Wesley returned with packs of ice and threw them into the bath. Looking at Spike from under his arm, Angel hated the blank – not there – look on him. He was pinkish in colour and the lines around the eyes and mouth were more pronounced. For the first time Spike didn't look that young.

Feeling Wesley and Cordy grab him under his arms he shook his head and said, "Spike, Spike first."

With a slight hesitation they shrugged and together, with Dennis making sure he didn't banged his head, lowered Spike into the water.

"Should we hold his head above water?"

Leaning against Dennis Angel shook his head, "Don't need to. No breath, remember."

"Yeah, "Cordelia said, "but you still breathe, if that's makes any sense."

But, following Angel's instruction, she submerged Spike head under water as Wesley tugged at his feet. They positioned him mostly on his side facing the tub wall and started the process of lowering the much heavier Angel into the water.

Muttering, "This better work." before submerging as best as he could under water the others stood around and looked at each other.

"Now what?"

"Now, Cordy, we wait."

Opting to stay, Cordy sat beside the tub and from time to time rubbed either Angel's arm or Spike feeling the water turn warmer. Gratefully she watched Wesley dump more ice into the tub and Dennis drained half of the water before filling it up again.

Glaring at Wesley as a sudden thought struck her, she said, "You better not tell anyone that I did this for him." pointing at Spike. Shacking his head amusedly in spite of the severe situation Wesley pursed his lips.

Silence descended over them, apart from the clucking of the water against the walls of the tub. Looking at the two figures, one completely out of it the other almost but not quite, they seemed almost ridiculous all cramped up in the tub. Cordy began to chuckle. Wes cast a curious glance her way. She motioned to the figures in the bath as she explained. He found he had to agree with her.

After a while Cordy asked, "What could have happened?"

"What still can, Cordy. Vampires I think can, if not die, then at least be very damaged in their brain functions, " pointing his finger at his head. Wes continued, "due to the heat. Usually they are constantly in action if not physical then at least mentally but the heat sort of turns them off and that can cause damage in the long run. It's like you know how if iron is left exposed to weather and with time they begin to rust but if you grease them and take care of them, like chains for example they are in a lesser risk of that happening but once the rust settles in it can break."

"Oh." Cordy said in a small voice. Putting his hand over hers Wesley said, "But we'll not let that happen, right?"

"Right."

Shoving aside the fear for now she concentrated on doing whatever she could to have her vampire and his childe recover as fast as they could.

_End of Chappy 2.

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**AN:** What do you think?


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